the first of them, and from the highest to the lowest. Affirming Allah’s oneness and seeking forgiveness encompass all creation, though people occupy different ranks before Allah, and everyone who acts has an appointed station. Bearing witness with sincerity and certainty that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah eradicates all shirk—associating partners with Allah—small and great, inadvertent and deliberate, first and last, hidden and manifest. It eliminates all its forms, subtleties, and concealed aspects. Seeking forgiveness wipes away one’s remaining lapses and erases sin, which is a branch of shirk, for all sins are branches of shirk.

Affirming Allah’s oneness thus removes the root of shirk, while seeking forgiveness erases its branches. The highest praise is to say, “There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,” and the greatest supplication is to say, “I seek Allah’s forgiveness.” Thus, He commanded him to affirm His oneness and seek forgiveness for himself and his fellow believers.

He also said:

Beware of reading the books of the philosophers who claim therein that the stronger the light of truth and its proof grow within hearts, the more the truth eludes understanding, just as sunlight dazzles the eyes of bats during the day. Beware of such people. Instead, keep company with the followers of the messengers, who are strengthened by the light of guidance and the proofs of faith, who have insight concerning doubts and desires, who distinguish inward promptings from the Most Merciful from those of Satan, and who possess knowledge and act upon it:

“Those are the party of Allah. Indeed, it is the party of Allah who will be successful.”